Trivium have had something of a rough deal over the years. Being heralded as 'the next big thing' after their 2005 masterpiece 'Ascendancy', they were soon chewed up and spat out again after the release of its underwhelming follow-up, 'The Crusade'.
Having hit back with two very strong albums, ‘Shogun’ and ‘In Waves’, they were all set to claw their way back into competition with the big boys of metal. But, with David Draiman (vocalist of hard rock nuisances Disturbed) on production duties and Terminator-esque album art, 'Vengeance Falls' has been a polarising idea from the word go.
The thrashy intro and boisterous battle cry of Matt Heafy on album opener Brave This Storm initially reassures the sceptical, but once the main vocal kicks in it just doesn't pack the same punch as the opening lines of Rain or Kirisute Gomen from previous albums. But, packing an irresistibly catchy chorus and riveting climax, Brave This Storm sets the tone for the rest of the album.
Musically, this is one of the boldest, downright ballsy moves Trivium have ever made. They've always managed to pump out the tunes but styles have varied vastly over the course of albums, resulting in disjointed and sometimes confusing finished products. Even 2008's glorious 'Shogun' had its oddities, but with 'Vengeance Falls', it feels like they've finally nailed their formula.
They've got monumental choruses on Brave This Storm and the title track. They've got Gothenburg-tinged guitar wizardry during Through Blood & Dirt & Bone. This is a collection of songs just aching to be played live. Strife even has an 'OI!' chant that's got to be heard in a sweaty venue at some point.
Heafy has, on occasion, been found guilty of emulating the vocals of his influences. Since 'The Crusade', he's decided to stop being James Hetfield and has been searching for his own niche to fall into. On 'Vengeance Falls' he largely does a superb job. For the most part, his voice falls somewhere between melodic and gruff cleans, with his trademark scream being thrown in for good measure. The chorus on No Way To Heal is victorious, while his delicate crooning on At The End Of This War is possibly the most vulnerable moment he's ever committed to tape.
Now, let’s talk Draiman. No matter how much you love this album, there's no denying that the chin-pierced megastar has had a go at channelling Disturbed through it. While it's mostly subtle, once noticed, it does have a tendency to get really bloody annoying. The chorus of To Believe is just infected with Draimanisms.
'Vengeance Falls' is in no way a bad album. It's the sound of a band finally mixing down their formula, resulting in a heroically confident collection. It's just 10 metal songs, bashed out with precision and soul by some of the most talented players in the game. It just never really reaches the same euphoric highs of 'Ascendancy' or 'Shogun', and while it does seem like a natural progression from 'In Waves', we can only hope for a more adventurous outing next time.
Sat February 1st 2014 - MANCHESTER Academy
Sun February 2nd 2014 - LONDON O2 Academy Brixton
Mon February 3rd 2014 - NEWCASTLE UPON TYNE O2 Academy Newcastle
Tue February 4th 2014 - GLASGOW O2 Academy Glasgow
Thu February 6th 2014 - BIRMINGHAM O2 Academy Birmingham
Fri February 7th 2014 - SOUTHAMPTON Guildhall
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